Fresh spurt in 'gunfight'

Six suspects killed

News Desk
Six suspects were killed overnight till early Wednesday in four districts in a fresh spurt in 'gunfights' during the ongoing anti-narcotics crackdown across the country.
Reports by agencies and media said the latest casualties took place in Kushtia, Natore, Keraniganj of Dhaka, Jashore and Lakshmipur.
Four of the deceased were identified as drug dealers killed getting caught in the crossfire amid encounters with law enforcers while two were found shot dead and assumed to be robbers.
Two 'drug traders' were killed in Kushita and one each in Natore and Keraniganj while the two suspected robbers were killed in Jashore and Lakshmipur.
With the latest deaths, around 200 people have been killed in 'gunfights' with members of law-enforcement agencies since middle of May when the anti-drug operations were launched in a big way in the wake of inroads of narcotic drugs like yaba pills and phensidyl syrup. In Keraniganj, Nur Hossain Nuru, 35, a suspected drug trader and also wanted in 12 criminal cases, was killed in a reported gunfight with detective police at Deushur in the upazila around 3.00am, a UNB report said.
Monirul Islam, officer-in-charge of DB police, said the gunfight took place near Diamond Melamine Factory, from where police also recovered a firearm and 35 pieces of yaba tablets.
Two suspected drug traders-Phutu alias Monna, 35, son of Ahmed Ali, and his nephew Russel Ahmed, 30, son of Rabiul Islam of Razarhat intersection-were killed in a reported gunfight with members of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) at Ananda Bazar in Mirpur upazila early Wednesday.
Being informed that drug traders were gathering in the area for drug-related business, a team of Rab-12 conducted a drive in the area, said Md Mohaiminul, Commanding officer of Rab-12.
Sensing the presence of the elite force, the criminals opened fire on Rab members, forcing the elite force to fire back. Two were injured by bullets. Later, they were taken to Kushita General Hospital where the doctors declared them dead.
Rab recovered two firearms, two cartridges, 12 bullets, 40 litres of liquor, 1500 pieces of yaba tablets and 230 bottles of phensidyl syrup from the spot.
In Natore, Osman Goni, a suspected drug trader was killed in a reported gunfight with Rab members in Bahimali area in Baraigram upazila on Tuesday night.
Commanding officer of Rab-5 Major Shiblee Mostafa said sensing the presence of some criminals, Rab members challenged them and asked to surrender. At one stage, the criminals opened fire on the law enforcers, prompting them to fire in self-defence around 11:345pm.
After a brief gunfight, the elite force recovered the body of Osman.
In Jashore, police recovered the bullet-hit body of an unidentified young man from Jashore-Rajganj road in Manirampur upazila. Mokarram Hossain, officer-in-charge of Manirampur Police Station, said being
informed from locals, a team of police went to the spot and recovered the bullet-hit body of the young man, aged around 28 years, around 5:45 am.
Police suspect the young man might have been killed in a 'gunfight' between two groups of robbers, said the OC.
One pipe-gun was recovered from the spot, he added.
In Laxmipur, a suspected robber was killed in a reported gunfight between his cohorts and police at Charpata in Laxmipur upazila early Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Sohel, 26, son of Abdul Monaf of Raipur upazila. He was wanted in 19 criminal cases including that of murder and robbery.
Azizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Raipur Police Station, said a team of police arrested Sohel from Jhumur Cinema Hall area of the district town on Tuesday afternoon.
Later, police along with Sohel conducted a drive on Raipur-Chandpur highway to arrest his associates around 3.00am.
"Sensing presence of the law enforcers, the robbers opened fire to police, forcing them to fire back.
"At one stage, Sohel sustained bullet injuries during the gunfight and was taken to Sadar Hospital where the doctors declared him dead," says a official
account of the nighttime encounter, one of a series in recent times.
Two policemen were also injured during the incident.
One LG gun, three bullets and 300 yaba pills were recovered from the spot.